Biography

Rod Betts has successfully represented California employers on labor and employment law matters for over 30 years. He started his career at Gray Cary (now DLA Piper) and became a partner at that firm, and was Chair of the Employment and Labor group at Gray Cary for several years. In 2004, Rod joined his former partners from Gray Cary—Rich Paul, Fred Plevin and Mike Sullivan—who had left Gray Cary in 1998 to found the Paul, Plevin firm.

Mr. Betts is one of the most experienced management side labor lawyers in Southern California, having represented a wide variety of public and private sector clients on union matters, including San Diego Transit Corporation, San Diego Trolley, Inc., the Zoological Society of San Diego, the City of San Diego, the City of Chula Vista, the City of Escondido, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, and Bimbo Bakeries USA. Rod has handled well over 100 labor arbitrations on behalf of management, including discharge and contract interpretation cases.

Mr. Betts is also a very successful trial lawyer, having tried dozens of cases before juries, judges and administrative law judges. His trials have involved claims of wrongful termination, employment discrimination and wage and hour violations. Rod’s employment law clients include United Airlines, General Dynamics/NASSCO, Republic Services, Inc., Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute.

Rod utilizes his years of experience in representing employers in labor and employment law matters to provide practical advice to clients on difficult issues including union matters, employment terminations, layoffs, wage and hour matters, and investigations of employee misconduct.

Mr. Betts has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America and has been named one of California's top Labor and Employment law attorneys by Super Lawyers magazine. Mr. Betts has been recognized in the Los Angeles Times as one of Southern California’s Best Lawyers, and has been recognized by the San Diego Daily Transcript and San Diego Magazine as one of the “Best Lawyers in San Diego.” Rod has received Martindale Hubbell’s highest rating (“AV”) for legal ability and ethical standards, based on the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Mr. Betts is a Senior Governor on the University of Kansas Law School Board of Governors.

Representative Matters: Union Matters

• Represented the City of Chula Vista in wage concession negotiations due to a budget deficit with the Chula Vista Police Officers Association, the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2180, the Chula Vista Employees Association/SEIU and the Western Council of Engineers.

• Represented the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority in its labor negotiations with Teamsters Local 911

• Represented the City of San Diego in its labor negotiations with the Police Officers Association, San Diego Fire Fighters Local 145 and the Deputy City Attorney Association

• Represented the City of San Diego in the meet and confer process with the City’s five labor unions regarding the Mayor’s ballot proposals and implementation ordinances on retirement benefit increases for City workers, and managed competition
• Represented PKL Services, Inc., a civilian contractor providing maintenance on the FA-18 aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, in negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
• For over 20 years, has handled union related matters for San Diego Transit Corporation and San Diego Trolley, Inc., including labor arbitrations, collective bargaining, and a variety of disputes over employment terms and conditions

• Prevailed in $30 million pension dispute against labor organization through retirement plan arbitration, district court proceedings, and proceedings before Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• Prevailed in trial before National Labor Relations Board in which General Counsel asserted numerous unfair labor practices arising from union organizing campaign
• Currently suing Carpenters Union Local 1506 for trespass and picketing on private property of hospitals

Representative Matters: Wage & Hour Matters

• Currently handling wage and hour class action involving claim that technical support employees were not paid for time spent on-call
• Handled meal and rest period class action involving over 3000 class members

• Handled wage and hour class action involving exempt status of account executives, meal and rest periods and expense reimbursement issues

• Obtained defense verdict before the California Labor Commissioner in 45 plaintiff wage and hour case in which plaintiffs alleged entitlement to overtime for monitoring their radios during meal and rest periods.

• Obtained meal and rest period exemption for client in settlement with State of California, after bringing suit against the State

• Obtained summary judgment in San Diego Superior Court in wage and hour case involving engineer of technology company who claimed to be nonexempt and eligible for overtime pay

Representative Matters: Wrongful Termination & Employment Discrimination

• Obtained summary judgment in San Diego Superior Court in wrongful termination case brought by Risk Manager of corporation who claimed to be a whistleblower

• Obtained defense verdict in San Diego Superior Court jury trial brought by airline employee claiming she was fired due to whistle blowing about airport security violations, and due to her sex, age and in retaliation for filing discrimination claims. Also obtained $30,000 judgment on cross-complaint due to plaintiff’s illegal tape recording of company managers

• Obtained defense verdict in San Diego Superior Court jury trial in case in which plaintiff alleged wrongful termination and fraudulent inducement of employment

• Obtained defense verdict in Colorado federal court jury trial on behalf of radio station in case in which on-air personality alleged breach of employment contract and violation of Colorado Wage Act

• Obtained defense verdict in San Diego Superior Court jury trial in case in which plaintiff alleged he had been terminated in violation of public policy for “blowing the whistle” on manufacturing company

• Obtained defense verdict in San Diego Superior Court jury trial in case in which 15-year employee of company alleged employment discrimination and wrongful termination

• Obtained defense verdict in binding arbitration of Santa Clara Superior Court case in which plaintiff alleged wrongful termination in violation of public policy (termination to divest her of large commissions due)